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Local Food News — World

Support for Green MP Steffan Browning’s member’s bill is a win for the vast majority of New Zealanders who want to know where the food they buy is produced, the Green Party said today. The Consumers’ Right to Know (Country of Origin of Food) Bill will make it mandatory for food producers to label their fresh or single-ingredient food products with the country of origin. The Bill was passed to select committee stage this evening. “A recent poll showed that more than 70 percent of New Zealanders support mandatory labelling, and it’s good for local food producers too. Scoop.co.nz press release.

Helicopter business ready for take off with five-star dining tours

“Over the past ten years I’ve focused on the highest standard in worldwide jet charter, I thought this would be the perfect bolt-on for inbound clients showcasing the dramatic [Scottish] scenery and local food as a whole experience,” she said. The Heli-Dining combination has been requested so frequently over recent months that Ms Torres decided to launch it as a separate offer to her whole client base. Herald Scotland story.

UFU’s schools competition set to boost farm awareness across NI

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has launched its 2017 schools competition, in association with Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend and ASDA. This year’s competition, which is open to all nursery, primary and special schools around Northern Ireland, is based on the theme ‘Eating Healthy, Local Food’. ASDA, which sponsors the competition, has a range of prizes on offer for the winners. “This competition will give pupils a greater knowledge of the seasonality of our produce and how it is produced. It will also underline the importance of supporting local producers to benefit the rural and wider economy in Northern Ireland. Agriland story.

As life is nothing without taste, BMW Ireland is partnering with TheTaste to allow one lucky food lover to dine free for a year by nominating their local culinary gem. In association with BMW Ireland, TheTaste Team will expand and embark on an all-Ireland voyage of discovery to unearth the hidden treasures around the country in TheTaste BMW 1 Series M Sport. With the Irish food scene going from strength to strength, TheTaste is on a mission to travel the length and breadth of the country, putting as many delicious experiences as possible on the map. TheTaste.ie post.

Honey Month– a month long celebration of honey!

Apiarists around Australia will showcase beekeeping, honey products and of course, wonderful food during Honey Month this May. Honey Month is a national bee and honey awareness campaign that promotes Australian beekeepers and their products to a broader public. NewsMaker press release.

Calling all food producers: Sell at Morrisons

If you are a local food producer then Morrisons want to hear from you. They have launched ‘The Nation’s Local Foodmakers’ campaign which aims to get local produce into each Morrisons store and sell more British food. Morrisons want to recruit more than 200 new suppliers from across England, Scotland and Wales in the first year and are inviting foodmakers to pitch for their place in its supermarkets. Tamebay blog.

A different kind of fizz: community drinks company challenges Glasgow juice culture

Using this knowledge as her starting point, Natalia created Bottle of Ginger, a soft drinks producer and social enterprise where all profits go straight back into local food and drink initiatives. The aim of Bottle of Ginger is to raise money through sales that will be put back into the local community to help alter consumption habits and improve understanding of how quality drinks are made, in comparison to mass-produced fizzy drinks. It’s certainly necessary given some of the statistics Natalia quotes: “The consumption rate of soft drinks can be used nowadays as a sort of geographical indicator of inequality. Positively Scottish story.

WA consumers asked to make a ‘good choice’ and buy local food

Western Australian consumers will be asked to make a ‘good choice’ and support local food businesses, as part of a dynamic new marketing campaign which rolls out across the State in July. The Good Choice campaign has been developed in collaboration with industry, and is set to reenergise the Department of Agriculture and Food’s long serving Buy West Eat Best program. FOOD Magazine – Australia story.

Demand for higher quality and British food grows by up to 100 per cent

Caterers are increasingly turning to quality British produce instead of engaging in a ‘race for the bottom’ on price, according to the Soil Association. £49.7 million is spent on British food through the Soil Association’s Food for Life Catering Mark (raw ingredients from the UK, including meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, fruit and vegetables, oil, sugar and flour) – an increase of 40% over 2015. £38 million of this food meets Red Tractor standards. The scheme has encouraged ‘positive changes’ in the catering sector to local, sustainable and ethical products with points given for spending on different schemes such as LEAF, RSPCA, Fairtrade and Organic. FarmingUK story.

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We love restaurants, their suppliers, and the food they provide. We believe that everyone in this industry — regardless of the size of their farm, warehouse, dining room, or bank account — should have access to the latest tools and technology. The food industry operates on razor thin margins. We believe technology should increase those margins, not add costs. We believe better communication means better business relationships. Clear communication means fewer returned orders, less time spent staring at spreadsheets, and quicker order response times. It’s good for everyone. Website.

AND IF YOU HAVE TIME

Rethinking revolution on the centenary of the Russian Revolution

Both the launch and the book are outstanding illustrations of the fact that Marxian socialists have no understanding whatsoever about food or social movements related to food. I surprise myself that I’m still surprised by this, but then, I once shared the same heritage as most of the authors. I’m not sure what is that so ticks me off about their overlooking of food and agriculture. After all, they also ignore clothing, shelter, cities and the internet, all of which might be deemed important to radicals trying to be relevant to their era. Rabble book review.